Recruitment activity across the UK weakened at the start of the final quarter, with permanent job offers falling stagnant, according to a KPMG survey
Following the latest KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs survey, recruiters signalled a steep drop in permanent placements and stagnant temp billings as heightened uncertainty over the economic outlook affected staff hiring.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that overall vacancies across the UK fell slightly in the three months to September but remained high by historical standards.
Standing at 1,246,000, the number of open roles was 10.4% higher than seen over the same period a year ago. However, this marked the softest annual rate of growth since the three months to April 2021.
The number of open positions notably declined by 46,000 compared to the second quarter.
